tag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:/categories/portraitEnvato Tuts+ Photo & Video - Portrait2018-05-08T20:06:55Ztag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/cms-31027How to Choose the Best Lens to Use for Portrait Photography<p>While it's possible to use almost any type of lens to make a portrait, that doesn't mean your subject will be happy with how they appear. In this lesson, we take a look at what happens when you choose the "wrong" lens for a portrait, and how to choose the right ones instead.<br></p><figure><script src="//fast.wistia.com/assets/external/E-v1.js" async="async"></script><div class="wistia_responsive_padding"><div class="wistia_responsive_wrapper"><div class="wistia_embed wistia_async_bc2ed2mftc videoFoam=true"> </div></div></div></figure><p>Getting a great portrait isn't all about the most expensive lens. The single biggest factor is the <strong>focal length </strong>of the lens that you choose. Stay away from wide angle lenses that will exaggerate facial features artificially, for example. A portrait lens should typically stay between 85mm and 200mm to create an accurate and flattering representation of your subject's face.</p><p>Watch the video lesson above to learn more about focal length and other key elements of choosing the right lens to capture portraits. Choosing the right lens will lead to great portraits that help your subjects look their best.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Portrait Lens Focal Length Comparison" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/151/posts/31027/image/portrait-lens-image.jpg"><figcaption>This image highlights the difference in how a subject is rendered when using a 100mm focal length versus a 270mm focal length. Notice the compression and face shape rendering and how it differs.</figcaption></figure><h2>Watch the Full Course</h2><p>A portrait-friendly lens is just one of a few that you might want in your kit. Having a variety of lenses is all about having the tools you need to create the image you have in mind.</p><p>This is what I cover in my course, <a href="https://photography.tutsplus.com/courses/what-every-photographer-should-know-about-lenses" rel="external" target="_blank">What Every Photographer Should Know About Lenses</a>. I'll help you learn more about lenses, what to look for when choosing a new lens, and getting the most from the lenses you already have.<br></p><p>Check out these other lessons that will help you learn to build out your lens lineup:</p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list">
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-use-a-telephoto-lens--cms-30912"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/151/posts/30912/preview_image/telephoto-tutorial-icon.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">How to Use a Telephoto Lens (to Photograph Far-Away Things Nicely)</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/what-is-a-standard-zoom-lens--cms-30767"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/151/posts/30767/preview_image/zoom-lens-example.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">Setting the Standard: What's a Standard Zoom Lens?</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/why-you-should-consider-a-super-zoom-lens-for-your-camera--cms-30925"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/151/posts/30925/preview_image/super-zoom-lens.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">Super Zoom: Why You Should Consider a One-Lens Wonder for Your Camera</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/before-you-buy-a-better-camera-buy-better-lenses--cms-26234"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/573/posts/26234/preview_image/glass-first-lenses-preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Lens Selection</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">Before You Buy a Better Camera, Buy Better Lenses</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Jeffrey Opp</div></a></li>
</ul>2018-05-08T20:06:55.147Z2018-05-08T20:06:55.147ZDavid Bodetag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/cms-3102210 Best Photoshop Actions With Cool Art Effects for Portraits<p>Even with the perfect portrait, sometimes you need
something to give it a little more impact. Here, we’ve put together our
favourite <strong>10 Photoshop Portrait Actions with Cool Art Effects</strong>.<br></p><p>Each Photoshop action is from <a href="https://elements.envato.com/" target="_blank">Envato
Elements</a>,
where you can download unlimited resources for a monthly subscription.</p><h2>1. <a href="https://elements.envato.com/filtergrade-light-leaks-bundle-YC5DVX">FilterGrade
Light Leaks Bundle</a>
</h2><p>Controlled light leaks are a great effect and can bring new
life to portrait photographs. Included in this download are 40 Photoshop actions for perfect portraits,
including some custom film effects.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="FilterGrade Light Leaks Bundle" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/31022/image/1-filger-grade-light-leak.jpg"><figcaption>FilterGrade Light Leaks Bundle</figcaption></figure><h2>2. <a href="https://elements.envato.com/double-light-photoshop-action-SG4399">Double
Light Photoshop Action</a>
</h2><p>Add a dual light effect to your portraits with this
Photoshop set. The download contains 10 actions which roll out into well-structured
folders and layers, to make it easy to customise.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Double Light Photoshop Action" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/31022/image/2-double-light.jpg"><figcaption>Double Light Photoshop Action</figcaption></figure><h2>3. <a href="https://elements.envato.com/blood-art-photoshop-action-QPQRZG">Blood Art
Photoshop Action</a>
</h2><p>Turn your portraits into an arty explosion with the <strong>Blood
Art </strong>Photoshop<strong> </strong>action set. The 10 cool colour effects can be used with full body or
headshots.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Blood Art Photoshop Action" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/31022/image/3-blood-art.jpg"><figcaption>Blood Art Photoshop Action</figcaption></figure><h2>4.<b> </b><a href="https://elements.envato.com/redwood-fairytale-photoshop-actions-LC646W">Redwood
Fairytale Photoshop Actions</a>
</h2><p>These three fantasy
Photoshop portrait actions are perfect for images photographed in natural light
and environmental portraits. The actions will add a soft, warm haze to your
photos giving it a hint of fairy-tale.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Redwood Fairytale Photoshop Actions" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/31022/image/4-Redwood-Fairytale-Photoshop-Actions.jpg"><figcaption>Redwood Fairytale Photoshop Actions</figcaption></figure><h2>5. <a href="https://elements.envato.com/portfolium-post-processing-photoshop-action-UKUFDM">Portfolium — Post Processing Photoshop Action</a>
</h2><p>Create soft focus, studio lit effects with the <strong>Portfolium
</strong>set of Photoshop actions. There are 20 colour presets and you can further
customise the effects of each one once you’ve run it.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="See turtle in rainbow-coloured light" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/392/posts/31022/image/portfolium-turtle.jpg"><figcaption>Portfolium Post Processing Photoshop Action applied to a portrait of a turtle.<br></figcaption></figure><h2>6.<b> </b><a href="https://elements.envato.com/anaglyph-3d-action-F2QZWL">Anaglyph 3D Action</a>
</h2><p>A cool 3D effect, <strong>Anaglyph </strong>can give your portraits a
futuristic retro look, if that isn’t too contradictory. The best bit is, it
actually works with the old-style 3D glasses, so go raid your attic for some and
enjoy!</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Anaglyph 3D Action" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/31022/image/6-Anaglyph-3D-Action.jpg"><figcaption>Anaglyph 3D Action</figcaption></figure><h2>7.<b> </b><a href="https://elements.envato.com/film-noir-b-w-photoshop-actions-J5QK3Z" rel="external" target="_blank">Film Noir B&amp;W
Photoshop Actions</a>
</h2><p><strong>Film Noir</strong> includes 6 artistic black and white Photoshop
actions, perfect for portraits. Designed to add atmosphere and stunning tone to
your photographs, <strong>Film Noir </strong>really packs a punch.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Film Noir BW Photoshop Actions" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/31022/image/7-Film-Noir-B&amp;W-Photoshop-Actions.jpg"><figcaption>Film Noir B&amp;W Photoshop Actions</figcaption></figure><h2>8. <a href="https://elements.envato.com/cinnamon-portrait-actions-D93LCS">Cinnamon
Portrait Actions</a>
</h2><p>‘Wild, mysterious and
enigmatic’ are bold claims indeed. <strong>Cinnamon Portrait Actions</strong> are a fantastical delight
for your portraits from a subtle warm-toned colouring to something altogether more
mysterious…</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Cinnamon Portrait Actions" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/31022/image/8-Cinnamon-Portrait-Actions.jpg"><figcaption>Cinnamon Portrait Actions</figcaption></figure><h2>9.<b> </b><a href="https://elements.envato.com/gypsy-portrait-photoshop-actions-TYZC5N">Gypsy
Portrait Photoshop Actions</a>
</h2><p><strong>Gypsy </strong>contains four professional portrait Photoshop actions
designed to make give your photographs a cinematic quality. From expressive and
cold, to rich and warm toning, <strong>Gypsy </strong>covers a lot in one neat little package.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Gypsy Portrait Photoshop Actions" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/31022/image/9-Gypsy-Portrait-Photoshop-Actions.jpg"></figure><h2>10. <a href="https://elements.envato.com/suburbia-photoshop-actions-B8AJCD">Suburbia
Photoshop Actions</a>
</h2><p>A Photoshop action back to give your portraits a
contemporary feel, Suburbia is perfect for lifestyle, wedding and family
photography.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/31022/image/10-Suburbia-Photoshop-Actions.jpg"></figure><h2>More Top Tutorials for Perfect Portraits <br>
</h2><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--card">
<li class="roundup-block__content posts__post"><article><header><a class="posts__post-preview" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/10-photography-projects-that-changed-the-way-i-see--cms-29778"><img class="posts__post-preview-image posts__post-preview-image--regular" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/392/posts/29778/preview_image/10-photo-projects-spirit-day.jpg"></a><a class="roundup-block__content-link posts__post-title" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/10-photography-projects-that-changed-the-way-i-see--cms-29778"><h1 class="nolinks">10 Photography Projects That Will Change the Way You See</h1></a></header><div class="posts__post-teaser">Meet ten photographers who see in unique and important ways—ten photographers who invite you to look differently. </div>
<footer class="posts__post-details"><div class="posts__post-teaser-overlay"></div>
<div class="posts__post-publication-meta">
<img sizes="76px" class="posts__post-author_photo" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/392/profiles/18828/profileImage/jackson-couse-with8x10.jpg" alt="Jackson Couse"><div class="posts__post-details__info">
<address class="posts__post-author"><a class="posts__post-author-link" href="http://tutsplus.com/authors/jackson-couse">Jackson Couse</a></address>
<time class="posts__post-publication-date" datetime="2017-10-19 13:35:57 UTC" title="19 Oct 2017">19 Oct 2017</time>
</div>
</div>
<div class="posts__post-primary-category topic-photography"><a class="posts__post-primary-category-link topic-photography" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/categories/photography">Photography</a></div></footer></article></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content posts__post"><article><header><a class="posts__post-preview" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/how-to-get-fantastic-rainbow-hair-in-photoshop-in-two-easy-ways--cms-28071"><img class="posts__post-preview-image posts__post-preview-image--regular" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/preview_image/preview.jpg"></a><a class="roundup-block__content-link posts__post-title" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/how-to-get-fantastic-rainbow-hair-in-photoshop-in-two-easy-ways--cms-28071"><h1 class="nolinks">How to Make Rainbow Hair in Adobe Photoshop: Two Easy Methods</h1></a></header><div class="posts__post-teaser">Who doesn't love the idea of rainbow hair? With a focus on Pride and LGBTQ over the next couple of months, we thought it was the perfect time to roll out the...</div>
<footer class="posts__post-details"><div class="posts__post-teaser-overlay"></div>
<div class="posts__post-publication-meta">
<img sizes="76px" class="posts__post-author_photo" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/profiles/18841/profileImage/coffee-400.jpg" alt="Marie Gardiner"><div class="posts__post-details__info">
<address class="posts__post-author"><a class="posts__post-author-link" href="http://tutsplus.com/authors/marie-gardiner">Marie Gardiner</a></address>
<time class="posts__post-publication-date" datetime="2017-07-28 21:37:04 UTC" title="28 Jul 2017">28 Jul 2017</time>
</div>
</div>
<div class="posts__post-primary-category topic-photography"><a class="posts__post-primary-category-link topic-photography" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/categories/adobe-photoshop">Adobe Photoshop</a></div></footer></article></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content posts__post"><article><header><a class="posts__post-preview" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-increase-impact-in-portraits-with-selective-masking--cms-27267"><img class="posts__post-preview-image posts__post-preview-image--regular" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/48/posts/27267/preview_image/Retouch-preview.jpg"></a><a class="roundup-block__content-link posts__post-title" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-increase-impact-in-portraits-with-selective-masking--cms-27267"><h1 class="nolinks">How to Increase Impact in Portraits With Selective Masking </h1></a></header><div class="posts__post-teaser">In this short video tutorial from my course on Beauty and Glamour Portrait Retouching, you'll learn how to give your image more visual impact by masking out...</div>
<footer class="posts__post-details"><div class="posts__post-teaser-overlay"></div>
<div class="posts__post-publication-meta">
<img sizes="76px" class="posts__post-author_photo" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/678/profiles/19209/profileImage/Chamira_Headshot_400x400.jpg" alt="Chamira Young"><div class="posts__post-details__info">
<address class="posts__post-author"><a class="posts__post-author-link" href="http://tutsplus.com/authors/chamira-young">Chamira Young</a></address>
<time class="posts__post-publication-date" datetime="2016-09-20 15:16:09 UTC" title="20 Sep 2016">20 Sep 2016</time>
</div>
</div>
<div class="posts__post-primary-category topic-photography"><a class="posts__post-primary-category-link topic-photography" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/categories/post-production">Post-Production</a></div></footer></article></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content posts__post"><article><header><a class="posts__post-preview" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-create-a-portrait-retouching-plan-of-action--cms-27061"><img class="posts__post-preview-image posts__post-preview-image--regular" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/48/posts/27061/preview_image/portrait-retouching-2.jpg"></a><a class="roundup-block__content-link posts__post-title" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-create-a-portrait-retouching-plan-of-action--cms-27061"><h1 class="nolinks">How to Create a Portrait Retouching Plan of Action</h1></a></header><div class="posts__post-teaser">In this video tutorial from my portrait retouching course, I'll show you how to best visualize your work and form a plan of action before you begin...</div>
<footer class="posts__post-details"><div class="posts__post-teaser-overlay"></div>
<div class="posts__post-publication-meta">
<img sizes="76px" class="posts__post-author_photo" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/678/profiles/19209/profileImage/Chamira_Headshot_400x400.jpg" alt="Chamira Young"><div class="posts__post-details__info">
<address class="posts__post-author"><a class="posts__post-author-link" href="http://tutsplus.com/authors/chamira-young">Chamira Young</a></address>
<time class="posts__post-publication-date" datetime="2016-08-16 08:25:00 UTC" title="16 Aug 2016">16 Aug 2016</time>
</div>
</div>
<div class="posts__post-primary-category topic-photography"><a class="posts__post-primary-category-link topic-photography" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/categories/post-production">Post-Production</a></div></footer></article></li>
</ul><br>2018-05-03T16:39:50.577Z2018-05-03T16:39:50.577ZMarie Gardinertag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/cms-30888How to Use Medium Telephoto Photography Lenses<p>You can think of a medium telephoto lens as the "Goldilock" lens: just the right focal length for many subjects. It's not too wide or too "zoomy" and has a wide variety of purposes in your kit.<br></p><figure><script src="//fast.wistia.com/assets/external/E-v1.js" async="async"></script><div class="wistia_responsive_padding"><div class="wistia_responsive_wrapper"><div class="wistia_embed wistia_async_u0m4senxm8 videoFoam=true"> </div></div></div></figure><p>As you keep building out your lens collection, you'll want to think about how each of them fit together to cover all parts of the focal length range. </p><p>Check out the video lesson above to start thinking about how a medium telephoto might fit into your lens lineup. You'll learn how to use one to achieve a variety of looks for your images.</p><h2>Watch the Full Course</h2><p>A medium telephoto lens is just one of the many lenses you might be thinking about adding to your kit. It's fun to acquire more lenses to facilitate shooting more and more scenes.</p><p>To learn more about the many types of lenses, check out the course <a href="https://photography.tutsplus.com/courses/what-every-photographer-should-know-about-lenses" rel="external" target="_blank">What Every Photographer Should Know About Lenses</a>. Not all lenses are created equally, and I'll teach you what to look for as you begin to build out your own lens lineup.<br></p><p>Check out these other lessons that will help you learn to think about lenses:</p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list">
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/when-and-how-to-use-wide-angle-zoom-lenses--cms-30768"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/151/posts/30768/preview_image/wide-angle-lens-icon.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">When and How to Use Wide Angle Zoom Lenses</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/what-is-a-standard-zoom-lens--cms-30767"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/151/posts/30767/preview_image/zoom-lens-example.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">Setting the Standard: What's a Standard Zoom Lens?</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/advanced-lens-stabilization-coatings-and-focusing-motors--cms-30766"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/392/posts/30766/preview_image/camera-photography-design-studio-lens.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">Decoding Lens Jargon: Image Stabilization, Coatings, and Advanced Focusing Motors</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
</ul><p></p>2018-04-20T20:54:00.000Z2018-04-20T20:54:00.000ZAndrew Childresstag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/cms-30813Hotshots: A Malaysian Lady Preparing Food<p>In this series, we present
a <a href="https://photography.tutsplus.com/series/hotshots-fresh-perspective-from-envato-photographers--cms-1243" target="_self">look-book of authentic photographs</a> collected
by the writers and editors here at Envato Tuts+. We hope these pictures inspire
ideas, help kindle new projects, and give you a better understanding of visual
communication.</p><p><b>Today's Image:</b> <a href="https://elements.envato.com/malaysian-lady-prepare-food-in-the-kitchen-PXUKB3T">Malaysian
Lady Prepares Food in the Kitchen</a>. This image is by <a href="https://elements.envato.com/user/Rawpixel"><b>Rawpixel</b></a>
and
it's available on <a href="https://elements.envato.com/" target="_blank">Envato Elements</a>.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Malaysian Lady Prepares Food in the Kitchen" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/30813/image/malaysian-lady-prepare-food-in-the-kitchen-PXUKB3T-resized.jpg"><figcaption>Malaysian Lady Prepares Food in the Kitchen</figcaption></figure><h3>Lighting</h3><p>Aside from the fact
that we can see the woman is preparing food, we don’t get a lot of context. That’s partly due to the lighting. The photographer has chosen to highlight the
woman—probably from a window in front of her—and revealed some of
the room she’s in. Much of the room is obscured in shadow, in a way that focuses our attention nicely.<br></p><p>We don’t know
whether the lighting was a conscious decision or one of necessity, but it
works.</p><h3>Colours</h3><p>I love the bright, primary colours
here, they really pop against the dark background. While the woman’s main
outfit is a subtle grey/blue, the vivid apron and headscarf really make her
stand out, particularly against the yellow wall of the kitchen. </p><p>The pots and pans become
almost like holes in the image, the absence of colour rather than something to
be looked at. Their pleasing, shiny, almost-abstract, shapes in the background reinforce the visual story about cooking, and give us important context about the woman.<br></p><h3>Curiosity</h3><p>Even though we know
the woman is preparing food, we can’t really see what it is. Usually if I see
food being prepared, it makes me hungry, but this just made me want to know
what it was she was making. I like that it piques our interest. I even zoomed
in to see if I could work it out. I think maybe a dough covered with oil; the
board and her hands look oily.</p><p>The lady’s face is
turned away but from her bright lipstick we can see the hint of a smile. Is she
enjoying the task or is she simply amused that the photographer wanted a
picture of her?<b></b></p><h2>Reading a Photograph</h2><p>We'd love to hear your take on this photograph, and
if you're not sure where to begin, then <a href="https://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-read-a-photograph--cms-25495" target="_blank">How to Read a Photograph</a> will
get you started with how to analyse photography. Mostly, it's just saying what you
see and how you feel about an image!</p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--card">
<li class="roundup-block__content posts__post"><article><header><a class="posts__post-preview" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/hotshots-mystical-fairytale-forest--cms-30335"><img class="posts__post-preview-image posts__post-preview-image--regular" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/30335/preview_image/preview.jpg"></a><a class="roundup-block__content-link posts__post-title" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/hotshots-mystical-fairytale-forest--cms-30335"><h1 class="nolinks">Hotshots: Mystical Fairytale Forest Photograph</h1></a></header><div class="posts__post-teaser">Sometimes heavy processing can ruin an image, but I think in this case, it makes it – let’s look at why.</div>
<footer class="posts__post-details"><div class="posts__post-teaser-overlay"></div>
<div class="posts__post-publication-meta">
<img sizes="76px" class="posts__post-author_photo" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/profiles/18841/profileImage/coffee-400.jpg" alt="Marie Gardiner"><div class="posts__post-details__info">
<address class="posts__post-author"><a class="posts__post-author-link" href="http://tutsplus.com/authors/marie-gardiner">Marie Gardiner</a></address>
<time class="posts__post-publication-date" datetime="2018-01-31 14:38:00 UTC" title="31 Jan 2018">31 Jan 2018</time>
</div>
</div>
<div class="posts__post-primary-category topic-photography"><a class="posts__post-primary-category-link topic-photography" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/categories/photography">Photography</a></div></footer></article></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content posts__post"><article><header><a class="posts__post-preview" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/hot-shots-spicy-peppers--cms-30290"><img class="posts__post-preview-image posts__post-preview-image--regular" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/30290/preview_image/preview.jpg"></a><a class="roundup-block__content-link posts__post-title" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/hot-shots-spicy-peppers--cms-30290"><h1 class="nolinks">Hot Shots: Spicy Peppers Pop</h1></a></header><div class="posts__post-teaser">Food imagery is so common today that it can be easy to overlook or dismiss. It takes a particularly well-thought-out image to grab our attention and I think...</div>
<footer class="posts__post-details"><div class="posts__post-teaser-overlay"></div>
<div class="posts__post-publication-meta">
<img sizes="76px" class="posts__post-author_photo" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/profiles/18841/profileImage/coffee-400.jpg" alt="Marie Gardiner"><div class="posts__post-details__info">
<address class="posts__post-author"><a class="posts__post-author-link" href="http://tutsplus.com/authors/marie-gardiner">Marie Gardiner</a></address>
<time class="posts__post-publication-date" datetime="2018-01-13 18:48:00 UTC" title="13 Jan 2018">13 Jan 2018</time>
</div>
</div>
<div class="posts__post-primary-category topic-photography"><a class="posts__post-primary-category-link topic-photography" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/categories/photography">Photography</a></div></footer></article></li>
</ul><br>2018-03-24T11:33:00.000Z2018-03-24T11:33:00.000ZMarie Gardinertag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/cms-2977810 Photography Projects That Will Change the Way You See<p>Hey, happy <a href="https://www.glaad.org/spiritday" target="_self">Spirit Day</a>! Last year we showed you <a href="https://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/create-a-rich-purple-and-gold-look-in-adobe-photoshop--cms-25019" target="_self">how to make a rich gold and purple look in Adobe Photoshop</a>.</p><p>This time you'll meet ten photographers who see in unique and important ways—ten photographers who invite you to look differently. How do I know? These photographers changed my life. I hope they change your life too.<br></p><h2><span class="sectionnum">1.</span> Samantha Box: <em>INVISIBLE</em><br></h2><p><a href="http://samanthaboxphoto.com/" target="_self">Samantha Box</a> is committed: she returned to the same shelter over and over for years to create her <em>INVISIBLE </em>multimedia project, a look at the
lives of homeless LGBTQ youth in New York City. Her pictures have the
same relentless spirit: unflinching, real, and present. <br></p><p>Box <a href="http://time.com/3789163/invisible/" target="_self">had this to say</a> about her project: <br></p><p>"The young people that I photograph are some of the most resilient
people that I have ever met: despite facing the societal animosity of
homo- and transphobia, and the burden of a broken system that conspires
to keep them homeless, they continuously work for a future
where their talents and intellect can be used, where they have a home, a
family and a life of stability.”</p><figure data-video-embed="true" data-original-url="https://vimeo.com/91104279" class="embedded-video">
<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/91104279" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</figure><h2><span class="sectionnum">2.</span> Gabriela Herman: <em>The Kids</em><br></h2><p>"Judges, academics, and activists keep wondering how
children are impacted by having gay parents. Maybe it's time to
ask&nbsp;the&nbsp;kids." That's how Gabriela Herman's <em><a href="https://thekids.gabrielaherman.com/" target="_self">The Kids</a></em> starts. Herman pairs luminous portraits with short quotes to build a moving testimony to the humanity of life with LGBTQ parents.</p><h2><span class="sectionnum">3.</span> Pedro Isztin: <em>In Situ</em><br></h2><p>I think photographing people in nature creates an amazing potential to connect. Pedro Isztin gave me that idea, a gift. He showed me the pictures from his <a href="http://isztinfoto.com/in-situ/" target="_self"><em>In Situ</em></a> series and we have been friends ever since. He is excellent. And he has a course about <a href="https://photography.tutsplus.com/courses/environmental-portraiture" target="_self">environmental portrait photography</a> right here on Envato Tuts+.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Environmental portrait made using open shade" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/48/posts/27650/image/Environmental.jpg"><figcaption>Portrait by <a href="http://isztinfoto.com/" target="_self">Pedro Isztin</a><br></figcaption></figure><h2><span class="sectionnum">4.</span> Nan Goldin: <em>The Ballad of Sexual Dependency</em></h2><p>I always feel a bit off-axis when I look at <a href="https://www.moma.org/artists/7532" target="_self">Nan Goldin</a>'s book, <em><a href="https://aperture.org/shop/nan-goldin-ballad/" target="_self">The Ballad of Sexual Dependency</a></em>. <br></p><p>There's such a particular tension in her pictures. Maybe it's the gut feeling I get, of intimacy and detachment at the same time. Or maybe it's in the way Goldin shows life's pleasures and pain so mixed together. The way each photo is both perfect and imperfect, small and momentous. The joy of love and sorrow, a portrait of a chosen family. Whatever it is, these pictures had a way of worming their way into my head the first time I saw them.</p><blockquote>"I want the people in my pictures to stare back."—Nan Goldin<br></blockquote><p><em>&nbsp;Ballad</em> is also a "visual diary" of a particular time and place: New York, in the 1980s, when AIDS and drugs were ravaging the LGBTQ communities. Discovering that you could photograph this way, present pictures like this, it opened a whole new way of thinking about photography for me. Scary, and inspiring.</p><h2><span class="sectionnum">5.</span> Samra Habib: <em>Just Me and Allah</em></h2><p><em><a href="http://queermuslimproject.tumblr.com/" target="_self">Just Me and Allah: A Queer Muslim Photo Project</a> </em>asks "what's it like to be queer and Muslim?" Like Goldin above and Muholi below, the people she photographs look right at the camera. They smile. They are real. Like Herman, Habib includes interviews with her pictures. Together, these elements weave a tapestry of experience and identity that dissolves (I hope) prejudice and closed-mindedness. A transformative and inspiring project. <br></p><p>Says Habib: "What I didn’t realize at the time was that through listening to other
queer Muslims’ stories and asking questions, I was trying to find the
courage to share my own. I saw parts of myself in my subjects’ stories,
whether they were refugees from Iran or kids from Brooklyn who just
enjoyed skateboarding after Jumu'ah, like other kids their age" </p><h2><span class="sectionnum">6.</span> Wolfgang Tillmans</h2><p>I once saw a presentation by <a href="http://tillmans.co.uk/" target="_self">Wolfgang Tillmans</a>. He showed his pictures in chronological order, from the first pictures he made to the latest pictures he was making. It was brilliant, funny, beautiful and diverse. A wild mixture of interests and techniques.<br></p><p>The experience shifted something in me. It helped me realize that photography can be dark and light at the same time, and that it morphs and develops as you grow and your relationship to the world and yourself changes. That, in fact, you need to grow, and keep growing, as long as you are taking pictures.<span class="sectionnum"><br></span></p><figure data-video-embed="true" data-original-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se7oxDwO27g" class="embedded-video">
<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/se7oxDwO27g?rel=0" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0"></iframe>
</figure><p>I didn't pick a project of Tillmans' because I think you should
look at all of his work. People in the UK and Europe, however, might already be familiar with
the moving series of posters he produced pleading against separation from the
European Union.</p><h2><span class="sectionnum">7.</span> Vivian Meyer</h2><p>Have you heard the story of <a href="http://www.vivianmaier.com/" target="_self">Vivian Meyer</a>? A large and intriguing archive of a Chicago street photographer, a woman who was very private her whole life, turned up in an auction. A marvelous body of work—must see, they said. I waited a while, I don't know why. Now I am convinced. A fascinating, eccentric story, with a terrific and mercurial photographer, and, I think, an essential perspective on life in America. Enough to inspire anyone to take up <a href="https://photography.tutsplus.com/series/street-photography--cms-802" target="_self">street photography</a> (and live their life as artfully as they see fit).<br></p><h2><span class="sectionnum">8.</span> Zanele Muholi: <em>Faces and Phases</em><br></h2><p>Zanele Muholi's <em><a href="https://aperture.org/blog/magazine-zanele-muholis-faces-%c2%9d-phases/" target="_self">Faces and Phases</a></em> projects presents seemingly easy portraits of lesbians in South Africa. These pictures appear simple, but they are not: the subjects face the camera, and engage. They have volume; here are nuanced portrayals, loaded with subtle information. The pictures, like the faces they show, are undeniable.<br></p><p>Muholi <a href="https://aperture.org/blog/magazine-zanele-muholis-faces-%c2%9d-phases/" target="_self">said</a>: I’m reclaiming photography as a black female being. I’m calling myself a
visual activist, whether I am included in a show or not, whether I am
published or not. That’s my stance as a person, before anything else,
before my sexuality and gender, because photography doesn’t have a
gender.</p><h2><span class="sectionnum">9.</span> Tabita Rezaire: <em>Malaxa</em><br></h2><p><a href="http://tabitarezaire.com/malaxa.html" target="_self">What is this</a>? <a href="https://www.instagram.com/malaxa_/" target="_self">Is it the future</a>? <a href="http://tabitarezaire.tumblr.com/" target="_self">What is happening</a>? So says the artist: <br></p><p>"Tabita’s
practices unearth the possibilities of decolonial healing through the
politics of technology. Navigating architectures of power—online and offline—her work tackles the pervasive matrix of
coloniality and its affects on technology, sexuality, health and
spirituality.</p><p>Through
screen interfaces and energy streams, her digital healing activism
offers substitute readings to dominant narratives decentering occidental
authority and preaches to dismantle our oppressive
white-supremacist-patriarchal-cis-hetero-globalized world screen.</p><p>Yes, please.<br> </p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Screenshot of Tabita Rezaires Tumblr Page" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/392/posts/29778/image/tabitarezaire-tumblr.jpg"><figcaption><a href="http://tabitarezaire.tumblr.com/" target="_self">Tabita Rezaire's Tumblr Page</a></figcaption></figure><h2><span class="sectionnum">10.</span><em> </em>Mike Fernandez: <em>CHANGELINGS</em></h2><p><a href="http://www.mikefernandez.net/" target="_self">Mike Fernandez</a> was my classmate, and I have had the privilege of watching his work grow. I love his ephemeral <a href="http://www.mikefernandez.net/photographs" target="_self"><em>CHANGELINGS</em></a> series. It's electric, ecstatic. But then, I like all of his pictures: he's the only photographer with an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mikefromperu/" target="_self">instagram feed</a> I check regularly. You've got interesting birds, interesting people, and interesting pictures. What more could a person want?<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Mike Fernandezs instagram feed" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/392/posts/29778/image/mike-fernandez.jpg"><figcaption><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mikefromperu/" target="_self">Mike Fernandez's instagram</a> is my favourite.<br></figcaption></figure><h2>Look Different<br></h2><p>Each of the projects above changed my photography (and my life) by showing me the world in a new way. I hope you like these artists as much as I do. <br></p><p>Of course, there are many, many more photographers making eye-opening work that challenges our assumptions, shows us new ways to understand ourselves, and delights. Do you have a favourite project? How come?<br></p>2017-10-19T13:35:57.873Z2017-10-19T13:35:57.873ZJackson Cousetag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/photo-14768A Photographer's Guide to Portrait Lighting Ratios<p>Artificial lighting is intimidating for many photographers. It’s easy enough to know good natural light when you see it (though this too takes practice), but artificial light requires a few extra skills to create the look you want.</p><p>To rapidly improve your artificial lighting skills, it helps to understand <b>lighting ratios</b>,<b> </b>or<b> </b>the relationship between how much power (ie., how much light) each light emits.</p><p>In this tutorial we'll start from scratch, looking first at what <b>key</b> and <b>fill lights</b> are, then I'll move on to how they relate to each other, how to be precise about this relationship, and why it makes a difference where your lights are positioned. <br></p><p>Then we'll see how these concepts apply to the ideas of "high key" and "low key" lighting, as well as adding other lights into the mix.</p>
<hr>
<h2>What Are Key and Fill Lights?</h2>
<p>When talking about studio lighting, there are two main lights to think about: the key light and the fill light. <br></p><ul>
<li>The key light is so-called because it's the brightest light of the two, and is doing all the heavy lifting on the illumination.</li>
<li>The fill lights "fills-in" the shadows cast by the key light. <br>
</li>
</ul><p>When the key light has illuminated one side of the subject, it’s natural that the other side of the subject is cast into shadows. Adding the fill light adds light and stops the shaded side of the subject from disappearing into blackness. So the fill light also helps to define the shape of your subject and provide extra detail.<br></p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list"><li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/the-importance-of-brightness-in-photographic-lighting--cms-28992"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/48/posts/28992/preview_image/Bright-preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">What Is Brightness? How to Understand Value in Photographic Lighting</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li></ul>
<h3>There Can Be Other Lights, Too</h3>
<p>The key and fill lights make up the classic two-light setup, but you can add other lights too. These are things like rim lights—used to provide extra separation of the subject from the background—and hair lights or other lights. Additional lights and modifiers can accentuate details.<br></p>
<hr>
<h2>How to Calculate Lighting Ratios</h2>
<p>Now that we've reminded ourselves what the key and fill lights are, how do they work together?<br>
</p><figure><img alt="I generally do key on camera right fill on camera left but this may be different for different models" src="https://tutsplus-media.s3.amazonaws.com/photo.tutsplus.com/uploads/2013/07/lightingratios_01.jpg" width="600" height="400">
<figcaption>I generally do key on camera right, fill on camera left, but this may be different for different models.</figcaption>
</figure>
<h3>Basic Scenario: Same Lights, Same Distance, Different Power<br>
</h3><p>Let's assume you're using two identical lights, placed the same distance from your subject with the same light modifiers. In this example, we can find the lighting ratio by calculating the how much light each light sends out <em>compared to the other. </em>Like so:<br></p><ul>
<li>If the key light is on 1/2 power, and your fill light is on 1/4 power, the key to fill ratio is 2:1: for every two rays of light key lights emits, the fill light emits one ray of light<br>
</li>
<li>If the key is 1/4 power and the fill is 1/16 power, the ratio would be 4:1. The key light emits four rays of light for every one from the the fill</li>
</ul><figure><img alt="caption" src="https://tutsplus-media.s3.amazonaws.com/photo.tutsplus.com/uploads/2013/07/lightingratios_02.jpg" width="600" height="400"><p></p>
<figcaption>I'm getting the zone system information from Norman Koren's work on digitising it.<br>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h3>All Light Modifiers Change the Amount of Light<br>
</h3>
<p>If we're using bare light bulbs it’s easy to calculate lighting ratios. Common light modifiers like softboxes or umbrellas, however, make it more challenging because in changing the light they all absorb a little bit of it, and thereby change the amount of light that actually reaches your scene.</p><p>So light modifiers alter the <em>effective </em>power of your strobes: they spread the light around, softening and dimming it. Just because the dial says 1/4 power, doesn't mean you're actually getting that much light onto the subject. Ultimately, you just need to know how much each modifier knocks off your power setting, and adjust accordingly.</p><h3>What This Means: You Need to Measure to Actually Know<br>
</h3>
<p>When it comes to artificial lighting, what really matters isn't the power ratio, or "incident" ratio, but the "reflected" ratio. This the measurement of the amount of light that bounces off your subject and back to your camera. Light is altered by all kinds of factors, everything from skin tone, to ambient light, to how much dust there is in the air. You need to <a href="https://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-use-a-hand-held-light-meter-to-make-perfectly-exposed-photographs--cms-24142" target="_self">use a light meter to find the reflected ratio</a> for your lights as they are really working in your actual scene. <br></p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list"><li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-use-a-hand-held-light-meter-to-make-perfectly-exposed-photographs--cms-24142"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/573/posts/24142/preview_image/using-hand-held-meter-preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Exposure</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">How to Use a Hand-Held Light Meter to Make Perfectly Exposed Photographs</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Jeffrey Opp</div></a></li></ul><p>When we're looking at the reflected ratio, what are we measuring? In short, it's the ratio of the amount of light reflected by the highlights versus light reflected by the shadows. So regardless of the exact power levels on your lights, if the light meter or your histogram is saying the highlights are two stops brighter than the shadows, you have a 4:1 lighting ratio.</p>
<figure><img alt="41 lighting ratio" src="https://tutsplus-media.s3.amazonaws.com/photo.tutsplus.com/uploads/2013/07/lightingratios_04.jpg" width="600" height="400"><p></p>
<figcaption>This is around a 4:1 lighting ratio.</figcaption>
</figure><h3>Incident Ratio: Don't Forget about Overlapping Lighting</h3>
<p>If the light from your key light and fill light overlap on the subject, then you have an area of highlight that is brighter than either of them alone. This is often called an <strong>incident ratio.</strong></p>
<figure><img alt="11 incident ratio The bright line down the face is around 220 the sides which should be the same as the front are around 170- a stop and a half below" src="https://tutsplus-media.s3.amazonaws.com/photo.tutsplus.com/uploads/2013/07/lightingratios_05.jpg" width="600" height="400"><p></p>
<figcaption>This image demonstrates a 1:1 incident ratio. The lights are set up at the same power, distance, and modifiers, however, the light from each head overlaps slightly. The bright line down the face (look at the ridge of the nose and on either side of the nose), is around 220. The sides, which should be the same as the front, are around 175—a stop below!</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>To account for this overlapping light, you can either reposition lights so that it changes the area that is "doubly lit", or adjust the power down a little, proportionally.</p><h2>Distance Matters<br>
</h2>
<p>So far we've kept our hypothetical lights at the same distance but, of course, that distance plays a part in all of this. Light dissipates as it travels: it spreads out in all directions. This means the further a light is from the subject the less light falls on the subject. <br></p><p><strong></strong>The <strong>inverse </strong><strong>square law </strong>shows us that a minor change in the distance of a light greatly impacts the amount of light that hits the subject. It's too complicated to get much into here, but here are two handy rules of thumb: <br></p><ul>
<li>Increase the distance between the light and subject by double and your subject will receive one quarter the light (from that light)<br>
</li>
<li>Reduce the distance between the light and the subject by half and your subject will receive four times the light (from that light)<br>
</li>
</ul><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list"><li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/rules-for-perfect-lighting-understanding-the-inverse-square-law--photo-3483"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/30/posts/11765/preview_image/5.png"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Lighting</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">Rules for Perfect Lighting: Understanding The Inverse-Square Law</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">John O'Nolan</div></a></li></ul>
<h2>Lighting Ratios In Practice<br>
</h2><p>In short: the power of the
lights is just a starting point. The light that actually reflects off
the subject and onto your film or sensor is what matters for the
exposure. Start by choosing the lighting ratios on your lights, and then
measure to account for reflectors, skin tone, and more. Then observe
your lighting and adjust the power, position, or modifiers to get the
look you want.</p><p>The terms <strong>high key</strong> and <strong>low key</strong> describe two popular styles of
lighting. They're only two of many lighting styles, but they are good ones for beginners because you can do a lot with them and they each teach you a lot about how light works. Photographers of all experience levels can apply and adapt these styles to their own purposes, bend
the rules, and play with them as visual starting point. </p><h3>High Key Lighting<br>
</h3>
<p>High key is bright, soft, low-contrast imaging, where the lighting ratio is around 1:1. This virtually eliminates shadows and a lot of small detail; all that's left is strong details and outlines of forms. The eyes, bottom of the nose, and lips can all stand out. It's usually strongly illuminated from behind, too, whether through backlighting or a bright solid white backdrop.</p>
<figure><img alt="Average professional portrait High key backlight fairly flat and boring" src="https://tutsplus-media.s3.amazonaws.com/photo.tutsplus.com/uploads/2013/07/lightingratios_07.jpg" width="600" height="400"><br>
<figcaption>Average "professional portrait." High key, backlight, fairly flat and boring.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The term "high key" comes from early cinema and TV. The film and sensors used couldn't deal with strong contrast then, so the actors had three lights on them to kill the shadows. We've come to associate this look with cheerfulness, even as many TV shows try to move away from the "cheap" look. Fortunately for us photographers, it's not considered cheap-looking in still images. <br></p><p>Making a high key image is not very hard. Even without arranging artificial lights, a combination of sunlight and reflectors can create a high key look.<br></p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list"><li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/the-complete-beginners-guide-to-shooting-high-key--photo-2949"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cdn.tutsplus.com/photo/uploads/legacy/267_highkey/preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Lighting</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Shooting High Key</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Josh Johnson</div></a></li></ul>
<hr>
<h3>Low Key Lighting<br>
</h3>
<p>Low key is the opposite, stylistically: the lighting ratio is unbalanced, usually heavily, producing a strongly affected image. A ratio between 4:1 and 8:1 will usually achieve the low key feel. </p><p>Low key lighting creates deep shadows around all forms and structures of the subject. It's a moody, sometimes gritty look used for dramatic portraits.</p>
<figure><img alt="Low key good in the right scenario but something of a clich on the internet in recent years" src="https://tutsplus-media.s3.amazonaws.com/photo.tutsplus.com/uploads/2013/07/lightingratios_08.jpg" width="600" height="400"><br>
<figcaption>Low key: good in the right scenario, but something of a cliché on the internet in recent years.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>While we often now generally associate it with film noir, the effect ultimately really comes from the Renaissance painting effect of chiaroscuro (Italian, "light-dark"). Chiaroscuro could be hard or soft lighting, but the intent was always to bring the three-dimensionality of the subject's form to life through directionality and shading.</p>
<p>So while the effect has history in various art media, in stills it sometimes comes across as cheap because of the simplicity of the setup required to achieve it. When done well, however, low key creates a very dramatic portrait.</p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list"><li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/the-complete-beginners-guide-to-shooting-low-key--photo-3427"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cdn.tutsplus.com/photo/uploads/legacy/326_lowkey/preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Lighting</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Shooting Low Key</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Josh Johnson</div></a></li></ul>
<hr>
<h3>What About Other Lights?</h3>
<p>So what about those other lights that aren't the key and fill? Primarily what we're talking about here is the backlight or rim light, used to create a strong outline of light around the subject to pull them off the background and into the image. These lights aren't considered a part of the lighting ratio we've discussed so far, as they add supplementary light and don't usually change the light falling on the main focus of the image. <br></p><p>However, stray light and reflected light can change the highlight to shadow ratio, so you do need to pay attention to how much light your extra lights are contributing. Mostly you want them at least two stops under your key light (that's 1/4 the power), because the hardness and angle of reflection mean that they can create flare in your photos, even at low power.<br></p>
<figure><img alt="Even against two 160Ws strobes on 12 power the 60Ws speedlight only had to be on 132 due to the efficiency of reflective surfaces" src="https://tutsplus-media.s3.amazonaws.com/photo.tutsplus.com/uploads/2013/07/lightingratios_09.jpg" width="600" height="400"><br>
<figcaption>On the high-key example, even against two 160Ws strobes on 1/2 power, the ~60Ws speedlight in the back only had to be on 1/32 due to the efficiency of reflective surfaces.</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why Focus on Lighting Ratios? Speed<br>
</h2><p>On every paying photo shoot, time is money.<br></p><p>You don't have to be a technical expert to create well-lit photos. Many skilled photographers never think about lighting ratios at all. Does that mean you shouldn't have a good grasp of lighting ratios? No! <br></p><p>Just like the inverse square law and other rules of lighting, the more you know, the better and faster you can prepare. Here's what will happen if you get comfortable with lighting rations: <br></p><ul>
<li>Your shoots will be more directed, with less trial and error, and far fewer mistakes</li>
<li>You'll start to notice little things about your lighting that you didn't notice before<br>
</li>
<li>You'll start trying to figure out how other photographers did their lighting<br>
</li>
<li>You'll start to imagine new ways to light</li>
</ul><p>And then, then the really cool things will happen. Your shoots will start to move smoothly and feel easy. You'll you'll be able to communicate efficiently with your assistants, to tell them exactly where and how to set the lights. <strong>You won't waste any of your client's time.</strong><br></p><p>When you're trying to create a specific lighting look, it helps to have knowledge of how to arrange and power your lights. Using your light meter, the camera's histogram and reviewing your lighting results as you go are an easy way to create exciting looks.</p>
<h2>Keep on Learning</h2><p>Lighting is a fascinating, fun thing to learn. Here are some more tutorials on lighting from Envato Tuts+:<br></p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list">
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/a-product-photographers-guide-to-using-flash--cms-28173"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/48/posts/28173/preview_image/flash-preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Flash</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">A Product Photographer's Guide to Studio Strobes and Small Flash Lighting</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-use-a-hand-held-light-meter-to-make-perfectly-exposed-photographs--cms-24142"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/573/posts/24142/preview_image/using-hand-held-meter-preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Exposure</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">How to Use a Hand-Held Light Meter to Make Perfectly Exposed Photographs</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Jeffrey Opp</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/what-is-light-for-photographers--cms-28137"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/48/posts/28137/preview_image/light-preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">What Is Light? A Photographer's Introduction to Lighting Fundamentals</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/a-photographers-guide-to-contrast--cms-29063"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/48/posts/29063/preview_image/photographers-guide-to-light-small%20(1).jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">A Photographer's Guide to Contrast</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/what-photographers-need-to-know-about-light-transmission--cms-29114"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/48/posts/29114/preview_image/Transmission-preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">What Photographers Need to Know About Light: Transmission</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/the-importance-of-brightness-in-photographic-lighting--cms-28992"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/48/posts/28992/preview_image/Bright-preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">What Is Brightness? How to Understand Value in Photographic Lighting</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">David Bode</div></a></li>
</ul>2017-09-08T18:53:50.694Z2017-09-08T18:53:50.694ZRob Taylortag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/cms-28071How to Make Rainbow Hair in Adobe Photoshop: Two Easy Methods<p>Who doesn't love the idea of rainbow hair? With a focus on Pride over the summer months, we thought it was the perfect time to roll out the rainbow carpet and show you a couple of easy ways to create rainbow hair in Adobe Photoshop.<br></p><p>If you'd like to follow along with the tutorial, you can download the free images here:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/curled-hair-woman-making-a-pose-157920/" rel="external" target="_blank">Woman with curly hair</a></li><li><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-portrait-old-artist-25758/" rel="external" target="_blank">Bearded man</a></li></ul><p>Alternatively, there are a number of <a href="https://photodune.net/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;term=portrait&amp;as=0&amp;referrer=homepage" rel="external" target="_blank">great portrait images</a>&nbsp;you could work with from <a href="https://photodune.net/" rel="external" target="_blank">Photodune</a>.</p><h2><span class="sectionnum">Method 1:</span> Brush On</h2><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Portrait of a woman with curly hair" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/stock-image.jpg"><figcaption>This is the image I'll be working on.</figcaption></figure><p>First, duplicate the background layer. It's always best not to work on your original image, just in case you make a mistake with destructive changes to that layer.</p><p>Then, create a new blank layer and call it <strong>Colour</strong>.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Adding a blank layer named Colour to the layers panel" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/colour-layer.jpg"><figcaption>Create a new layer and call it <strong>Colour</strong>.</figcaption></figure><h4>Colour In!</h4><p>Using a round brush, select your rainbow colours one at a time and paint over the hair. You can be a little messy here as we'll tidy it up soon.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Wide stripes of eight contiguous colours painted over models hair" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/messy-colours.jpg"><figcaption>Paint some bright colours on your blank layer over the hair. You might want to think about how the colours will flow from one to another in the end effect.</figcaption></figure><h4>Blend Mode</h4><p>Change the <strong>Blend Mode</strong>&nbsp;of your<b>&nbsp;</b>painted<b>&nbsp;</b>colour&nbsp;layer to <strong>Overlay</strong>.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Painted layer of colours overlaid onto image of model" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/change-to-overlay.jpg"><figcaption>Changing the layer's blend mode to Overlay&nbsp;mixes the painted colours with the original colours of the model's hair, and preserves the highlights and shadows of the base colour.</figcaption></figure><h4>Add Blur</h4><p>Next, apply a filter to the colour layer. With the colour layer selected, select<strong>&nbsp;F</strong><strong>ilter</strong><strong>&nbsp;&gt; Blur &gt; G</strong><strong>aussian</strong><strong>&nbsp;Blu</strong><strong>r</strong>,<strong>&nbsp;</strong>and in the dialogue box, move the <strong>Radius</strong> slider until the edges between the colours blend better.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Gaussian blur dialogue box" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/gaussian-blur.jpg"><figcaption>Adding a blur to the colour layer helps to create a more realistic transition of colours.</figcaption></figure><h4>Create a Hue/Saturation Layer</h4><p>Add a <strong>Hue/Saturation</strong>&nbsp;adjustment layer and create a clipping mask against your colour layer (right click on the Hue-Saturation layer and select&nbsp;<strong>Create Clipping Mask</strong>)&nbsp;so the hue/saturation adjustments only apply to the painted hair colours. Drop the <strong>Saturation</strong> and decrease the <strong>Lightness</strong> slightly to better blend the colours with the hair.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Huesaturation adjustment layer added to the list of layers in the layers panel" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/saturation-layer-and-clipping-mask.jpg"><figcaption>Using a hue/saturation layer and a clipping mask allows you to adjust only the painted colours to achieve the desired effect.</figcaption></figure><h4>Tidy Up</h4><p>Add a <strong>layer mask</strong> to your colour layer and with a soft brush, paint out any areas where you can see colour where you don't want it to be, such as over the skin.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Mask applied to the colours layer and sections of the image masked out" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/tidy-up.jpg"><figcaption>Masking areas like the model's face tidies up any sloppy areas of colour.</figcaption></figure><h4>Adjust Layer Opacity</h4><p>Fine tune the colour effect, if needed, by adjusting the <strong>Opacity</strong> of the colour layer.</p><h3>Take it Further<br></h3><p>If you want to jazz up your image even more, try adding a <a href="https://graphicriver.net/category/add-ons/photoshop?as=0&amp;referrer=homepage&amp;sort=sales&amp;tags=photoshop&amp;term=glitter&amp;utf8=%E2%9C%93" rel="external" target="_blank">colourful or sparkly Photoshop action</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>I'm going to use <a href="https://graphicriver.net/item/lucent-photoshop-action/11363984?s_rank=2" rel="external" target="_blank">Lucent</a>&nbsp;Photoshop action on this image. For many actions like this one, you need to create a new layer above your background and call the layer <strong>Brush</strong>. You might also have to&nbsp;<a href="https://design.tutsplus.com/articles/adobe-photoshop-in-60-seconds-how-to-install-custom-brushes--cms-26575" rel="external" target="_blank">install a brush</a> as well as the action. Each action comes with a <strong>Read Me</strong> file that will tell you exactly what you need to do to run the action.</p><p>Using black and a soft brush on the brush layer, paint over any area of your image where you don't want the effect to be applied. This can be quite messy.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Models face brushed out with black" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/brush-over.jpg"><figcaption>Paint over your subject on the brush layer.</figcaption></figure><p>Run the action. This can take quite a while because there are a number of layers created.&nbsp;</p><p>Once the action has finished, use the created layer masks to brush some detail back into your subject's face.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Image of woman with rainbow striped hair and Lucent effect added" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/after-lucent.jpg"><figcaption>The final effect after applying the Lucent action and brushing some detail back into the model's face.</figcaption></figure><h2><span class="sectionnum">Method 2:</span> Add a Rainbow Gradient Layer</h2><p>For the second method, I thought it would be fun to give a splash of colour to some beard hair as well!</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Portrait of a man with a beard and glasses" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/stock-image-2.jpg"><figcaption>This is the image I'll be working on.</figcaption></figure><h3>Brush Over Your Subject</h3><p>Create a new blank layer and call it <strong>Colour</strong>.&nbsp;Using any colour brush on the colour layer, paint over any hair you want to transform.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Green painted on colour layer over models hair beard and eyebrows" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/beard-brush-over.jpg"><figcaption>Brush over any hair you want to be coloured with the rainbow effect. Because I've chosen to do the model's hair and beard, I've also included the model's eyebrows for a complete effect.</figcaption></figure><h3>Add a Gradient</h3><p>Double click the colour layer to get the <strong>Layer Style</strong> panel and select&nbsp;<strong>Gradient Overlay.</strong>&nbsp;In the dialogue box, change the <strong>Gradient</strong> to one of the rainbow styles (or whatever you fancy).</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Layer style panel with gradient overlay chosen" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/add-gradient.jpg"><figcaption>Adding a rainbow gradient will apply the colours to the painted areas on the layer. You can use the Angle adjustments to rotate the gradient if you don't want a straight horizontal effect.</figcaption></figure><h3>Blur the Layer</h3><p>As you did in Method 1, select the colour layer and then blur the colours by selecting&nbsp;<strong>Filter &gt; Blur &gt; Gaussian Blur</strong>.&nbsp;Drag the <strong>Radius</strong> slider until the colours in the gradient blend a little better.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Menu items for choosing a gaussian blur" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/add-gaussian-blur.jpg"><figcaption>Add a blur to blend the edges of the colours in the gradient.</figcaption></figure><h3>Tidy Up and Fine Tune</h3><p>Tidy up any sloppy edges where colour has been applied to skin or other areas where you don't want the effect by creating a layer mask for the colour layer and brushing out any colour effect that shouldn't be there.<br></p><p>Finally, decrease the opacity of the colour layer until the colour looks right for the model's hair and skin tone.&nbsp;</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Man with rainbow coloured hair beard and eyebrows" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/finished-beard-colour.jpg"><figcaption>The finished, coloured image.</figcaption></figure><h3>Take it Further</h3><p>This time, I'll use the&nbsp;<a href="https://graphicriver.net/item/magic-dust-photoshop-action/15606423?s_rank=1" rel="external" target="_blank">Magic Dust Photoshop Action</a>&nbsp;to add some sparkle to the image. This action also requires a brush layer as in Method 1, so create a new layer and call it <strong>Brush</strong>. This time, use any colour brush to brush in where you would like the effect to appear.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Red painted on brush layer over mans hair and shirt" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/brush-on-glitter.jpg"><figcaption>I've chosen to have the effect apply to the model's hair and shirt, but you can paint in any areas you choose for the effect.</figcaption></figure><p>Run the action. Again, as with the previous action we used, this may take a while.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Man with rainbow coloured hair beard and eyebrows with sparkles added to hair and shirt" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/412/posts/28071/image/sparkles-added.jpg"><figcaption>Our finished image, with sparkles!</figcaption></figure><p>Few things can't be improved with the addition of sparkles, and using pre-made actions like these are a quick and easy way to achieve that while still being able to manipulate the effect to suit your own taste.</p><p>Have fun with these two quick methods for creating rainbow hair. Now that you know the techniques, you may think of other situations where you'd like to apply a similar effect.&nbsp;</p><p>If you'd like to get into a little more depth with changing hair colour, Monika&nbsp;Zagrobelna has written a useful tutorial on&nbsp;<a href="https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-change-hair-and-fur-color-in-photoshop--cms-27994" rel="external" target="_blank">How to Realistically Change Hair and Fur Colour in Adobe Photoshop</a>. Her tutorial walks you through options for being more precise about where in the hair the effect is applied.</p><p>Share your results in the comments below. I'd love to see what you do.</p>2017-07-28T21:37:04.226Z2017-07-28T21:37:04.226ZMarie Gardinertag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/cms-28024Photoshop in 60 Seconds: How to Use Frequency Separation Actions<figure><script src="//fast.wistia.com/assets/external/E-v1.js" async="async"></script><div class="wistia_responsive_padding"><div class="wistia_responsive_wrapper"><div class="wistia_embed wistia_async_e2xh7hgznm videoFoam=true"> </div></div></div></figure><p>Welcome to our Photoshop in 60 Seconds series, in which you can learn a Photoshop skill, feature, or technique in just a minute!</p><h2>Photoshop in 60 Seconds: Frequency Separation</h2><p>One of the biggest trends in photo retouching is the use of the <strong>Frequency Separation</strong> technique. This process involves separating the skin texture from the colors and tones of the photo before using an array of tools to minimize skin imperfections and the look of pores. Alternatively, you can also download one of the amazing <a href="https://graphicriver.net/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;term=Frequency+Separation+Retouching&amp;as=0&amp;referrer=homepage" target="_self">Frequency Separation Actions</a> from <a href="https://graphicriver.net/" target="_self">GraphicRiver</a> to help speed up the process.</p><p>In the quick video above, watch how I use this <a href="https://graphicriver.net/item/frequency-separation-technique-photoshop-actions/14007143" target="_self">Frequency Separation Photoshop Action</a> to diminish the appearance of freckles on my subject. <br></p><h2>How to Use Frequency Separation Photoshop Actions</h2><p><strong>Load</strong> your Photoshop action into the <strong>Actions</strong> panel. Make sure your image is set as the original <em>Background Layer</em>. Here is the image we'll be working with.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Freckle Stock from Pixabay" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/346/posts/28024/image/freqsepactionbefore1.jpg"><figcaption><a href="https://pixabay.com/en/blond-blonde-model-person-portrait-1842322/" target="_self">Freckle Stock</a> from <a href="http://pixabay.com/" target="_self">Pixabay.</a><br></figcaption></figure><p>Under the <strong>Action Group</strong>, select <strong>High Frequency Separation Skin</strong> then press <strong>Play. </strong>The action will take a few seconds to completely play out. <br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Play the Frequency Separation Photoshop Action " src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/346/posts/28024/image/freqsep1.jpg"></figure><p>You'll then be instructed to use a <strong>Soft Round Brush</strong> to paint white upon the black<strong> Layer Mask</strong> used for the effect. <br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Follow the Photoshop Action instructions" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/346/posts/28024/image/freqsep2.jpg"></figure><p>Paint white all over the areas where you want to diminish the appearance of freckles to see them disappear. Adjust the <strong>Opacity</strong> to <strong>85%</strong> for the <em>Low Frequency Heavy Layer </em>to bring back some of the original texture.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Paint White on the Black Layer Mask for the Photoshop Action" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/346/posts/28024/image/freqsep3.jpg"></figure><p>Here is the final result below.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Final High Frequency Separation Freckle Photo" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/346/posts/28024/image/freqsepactionafter.jpg"></figure><p>Want to see this in action? Try out this technique yourself by following the video above.<br></p><h2>A Bit More Detail</h2><p>Learn more tips and tricks to improve your photo retouching skill from our expert instructors. Check out the following tutorials below:</p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list">
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-ensure-consistency-in-your-photo-retouching--cms-23854"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/48/posts/23854/preview_image/portrait-preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Post-Production</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">How to Ensure Consistency in Your Photo Retouching</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Chamira Young</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/photoshop-in-60-seconds-photo-retouching-with-actions--cms-27789"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/346/posts/27789/preview_image/retouchaction_preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Adobe Photoshop</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">Photoshop in 60 Seconds: Photo Retouching With Actions</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Melody Nieves</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/photo-retouching-in-adobe-photoshop-with-content-aware-in-60-seconds--cms-25359"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/346/posts/25359/preview_image/content_pre.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Retouching</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">Photo Retouching in Adobe Photoshop with Content Aware in 60 Seconds</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Marie Gardiner</div></a></li>
<li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/how-to-perfectly-retouch-makeup-for-beauty-and-fashion-photography-in-five-steps--cms-27092"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/346/posts/27092/preview_image/retouchtips_preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Retouching</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">How to Perfectly Retouch Makeup for Beauty and Fashion Photography</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Melody Nieves</div></a></li>
</ul><h2>60 Seconds?!</h2><p>This is part of a <a href="http://design.tutsplus.com/series/60-second-video-tutorials--cms-964" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">series of quick video tutorials</a> on
Envato Tuts+ in which we introduce a range of subjects, all in 60
seconds—just enough to whet your appetite. Let us know in the comments
what you thought of this video and what else you'd like to see explained
in 60 seconds!</p>2017-01-20T08:47:00.000Z2017-01-20T08:47:00.000ZMelody Nievestag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/cms-27994How to Realistically Change Hair and Fur Color in Adobe Photoshop<figure class="final-product final-product--image"><img src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/final_image/how-to-change-hair-color-final-min.jpg" alt="Final product image"><figcaption>What You'll Be Creating</figcaption></figure><p>Are you curious how you'd look with a different hair color? Do you want to know what colors fit you? You can easily check it with a few simple tricks in Photoshop. I will show you how to select your hair, and then how to experiment with its color with a few sliders. You can also use the same technique to create color variations in animals!</p><p>If you're looking for help with your <a href="https://studio.envato.com/explore/photo-editing?&amp;sort=relevance&amp;page=1" target="_self">photo retouching</a> projects, why not consider using <a href="https://studio.envato.com" target="_self">Envato Studio</a>.</p><h2>Tutorial Assets</h2><p>You'll need the following in order to complete this task:</p><ul>
<li>Your own photo!</li>
<li>Optional: <a href="https://photodune.net/item/woman-portrait/10323192" target="_self">woman portrait</a><br>
</li>
</ul><h2>
<span class="sectionnum">1.</span> How to Select Hair Only in Photoshop</h2><p>This part is the most difficult, because hair can be very chaotic. To ensure the best result, use a photo with a contrasting background (possibly white), with your hair mostly in the back (or, if not possible, lying on a contrasting shirt), and remove any fly-away hair, for example with one of these techniques:</p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list"><li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/3-ways-to-retouch-fly-away-hair--cms-20373"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/392/posts/20373/preview_image/hair-retouch_preview.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-photography">Retouching</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">3 Ways to Retouch Fly-Away Hair</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Daniel Sone</div></a></li></ul><p>The photo should be high-resolution and sharp. Or, if you want to try this tutorial without your own photo, you can use the same picture as me, or some other stock photo that meets the requirements.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="woman portrait hair stock" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-0.jpg"></figure><h3>Step 1</h3><p>Open your photo in Photoshop. Find the Lasso Tool on the toolbar and press it to reveal the sub-tools. Select the <strong>Magnetic Lasso Tool</strong>.<br></p><p><img alt="magnetic lasso tool" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-1-min.png"></p><h3>Step 2</h3><p>Click somewhere over the outline of the hair, and then slowly move along it. Do your best, but don't worry about a perfect outcome—we'll fix it all in a moment. After you meet the first point, click it to close the selection.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to select hair with magnetic lasso tool" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-2-min.jpg"></figure><figure class="post_image"><img alt="selection" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-3-min.jpg"></figure><h3>Step 3</h3><p>We have a selection now, but it's not perfect. To fix it, click <strong>Refine Edge</strong>.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to refine edge of selection" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-4-min.png"></figure><h3>Step 4</h3><p>A new window will show up, and the picture will change to present the edge of the selection. You can choose the way of presenting it. <strong>Overlay </strong>shows the best the picture outside of the selection (for example, hair that's not selected yet), and <strong>On Black/On White</strong> shows the selected area most clearly. You can easily switch between them using the shortcuts.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="refine edge view options" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-5-min.png"></figure><p>Check<strong> Smart Radius</strong> and play with the slider below a little. Observe how it affects the edge of the selection.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="refine edge smart radius how to change" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-6-min.png"></figure><h3>Step 5</h3><p>If you move your cursor over the picture, you'll notice you have a special brush—it's called the <strong>Refine Radius Tool</strong>. You can use it to show the program the places that should be carefully added to the selection. You can also hold the <strong>Alt</strong> key to remove certain parts of the selection, but keep in mind it's based on a special algorithm and may not work exactly as you expect.</p><p>Be patient and feel free to experiment. If you mess up, you can always cancel and start with a clean slate. <br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to separate hair from background photoshop" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-7-min.jpg"></figure><p>Switch between the views to see the outcome better. You can "paint" in all the views, but in most of them you can't see what's not selected.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to select hair in photoshop" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-8-min.jpg"></figure><h3>Step 6</h3><p>When you're done, change <strong>Output</strong> to <strong>New Layer with Layer Mask</strong> and press <strong>OK</strong>.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to create selection from refine edge" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-9-min.png"></figure><h3>Step 7</h3><p>A copy of the layer will be created. If you hide the original one, you should see the hair only.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to create selection from hair" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-10-min.jpg"></figure><p>But as powerful as the Refine Edge tool is, it's still program-based, so it can't see everything. Let's add some manual fixes. <br></p><p>Add a <strong>New</strong><strong> Layer </strong>on the bottom and fill it with black using the paint <strong>Bucket Tool </strong>(<strong>G</strong>). Then lower the <strong>Opacity</strong> of the original picture to see the face only slightly.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to clean up hair" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-11-min.jpg"></figure><h3>Step 8</h3><p>Go back to the copied layer. It has a <strong>Layer Mask</strong>: black areas on the mask tell the layer which areas should be transparent, and white tell it which should be opaque. If you click on the mask, you can paint on it to modify it using these rules. <br></p><p>Take a soft brush with a low <strong>Flow</strong> and carefully modify the areas next to the skin. The change between the skin and hair shouldn't be too abrupt. Use black, white, or various shades of gray to make certain parts transparent, opaque, or in various levels of transparency.</p><p>You can learn more about this technique here:</p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list"><li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/quick-tip-layer-mask-vs-the-eraser-tool-in-adobe-photoshop--cms-24392"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/24392/preview_image/eraser-vs-layer-mask-prev.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-design">Adobe Photoshop</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">Quick Tip: Layer Mask vs. the Eraser Tool in Adobe Photoshop</div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Monika Zagrobelna</div></a></li></ul><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to cut hair to a new layer" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-12-min.jpg"></figure><p>When you're done, simply remove the black layer and drag the <strong>Opacity</strong> of the original picture back to <strong>100%</strong>.<br></p><h2>
<span class="sectionnum">2.</span> How to Change the Color of Hair in Photoshop</h2><h3>Step 1<br>
</h3><p>Photoshop now knows what we want to change, so it's time for the fun part! Open <strong>Window &gt; Adjustments</strong> and select the <strong>Hue/Saturation</strong> adjustment.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to add new adjustment" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-13-min.png"></figure><h3>Step 2</h3><p><strong>Clip</strong> the adjustment (<strong>Control-Alt-G</strong>) to make it affect only the hair. Check <strong>Colorize</strong> to have full access to all the options, and then play with the <strong>Hue</strong> slider to change the colors. This will allow you to explore the colors within your present shade. <br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to colorize hair" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-14-min.jpg"></figure><p>You can also easily make the color darker with this technique just by lowering the <strong>Lightness</strong>. So if you have blond hair, you're lucky—you can get all the beautiful colors just by playing with the sliders!<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to darken hair in photoshop" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-19-min.jpg"></figure><h3>Step 3</h3><p>If you want a more saturated color, and your hair is dark, there's more work to do. First create a darker version of the color, and then duplicate the adjustment (<strong>Control-J</strong>) and create the color you actually want.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to change hair color in photoshop" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-14-2min.jpg"></figure><p>Right click the second adjustment layer and select <strong>Blending Options</strong>. Can you see the grayscale sliders below? You can use them to make certain parts of the picture transparent. I've explained it all in this quick tutorial:</p><ul class="roundup-block__contents posts--half-width roundup-block--list"><li class="roundup-block__content"><a class="roundup-block__content-link" href="http://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/quick-tip-the-magic-of-photoshops-blend-if--cms-23862"><img class="roundup-block__preview-image" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/23862/preview_image/blend-if-tip-prev.jpg"><div class="roundup-block__primary-category topic-design">Digital Painting</div>
<div class="roundup-block__content-title">Quick Tip: the Magic of Photoshop's Blend If </div>
<div class="roundup-block__author">Monika Zagrobelna</div></a></li></ul><p>For now, you only need to know that if you drag the lower black marker to the right, the layer will reveal the darker parts of the layer below. If you hold the <strong>Alt </strong>key, the marker will split and the effect will be more gradual.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to use blend if" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-15-min.png"></figure><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to create saturated hair color" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-16-min.jpg"><figcaption>Blend-if lets you create a nice contrast without adding any new adjustment layers.<br></figcaption></figure><h3>Step 4</h3><p>You can use exactly the same method to add highlights. Just create a new adjustment layer with an extreme version of the same color...<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to changle hair saturation" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-17-min.jpg"></figure><p>... and remove most of it, keeping it visible only over the bright parts.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to create mutliple color adjustments" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-18-min.jpg"></figure><h3>Step 6<br>
</h3><p>What about bright colors, like blond? Just like with real dark hair, we need to bleach it first. Create three adjustment layers with no saturation: dark—brighter—bright, and use Blend-if to combine them.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to bleach hair in photoshop" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-20-min.jpg"></figure><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to create grey hair in photoshop" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-21-min.jpg"></figure><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to create brighter hair color in photoshop" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-22-min.jpg"></figure><h3>Step 7</h3><p>When you're done, you can adjust the shades to achieve a uniform result and even paint on the masks if something looks wrong.<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to adjust adjustments" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-23-min.jpg"></figure><h3>Step 8</h3><p>Now you can easily add another adjustment layer with any bright color you wish!<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to turn hair color to blond in photoshop" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-1-24-min.jpg"></figure><h2>Good Job!</h2><p>You can use this technique to create many beautiful shades, both realistic and unreal. Just keep in mind you need to control the contrast on your own—Photoshop won't stop you from creating a fake effect. </p><p>If you want to share your results, don't forget to adjust the original hair mask to make sure everything looks the best it can (for example, bright, vivid colors should reflect subtly on the face). Feel free to use other adjustments or blend various colors to create even more advanced effects!<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to change hair color in photoshop" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-final-min.jpg"></figure><p>The same technique can be used to color animal fur or other areas of the picture (as long as you select them properly). Experiment with this to learn it better—it's real fun!<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="how to change fur color in photoshop" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/108/posts/27994/image/how-to-change-hair-color-final-fur.jpg"></figure>2017-01-19T11:48:39.000Z2017-01-19T11:48:39.000ZMonika Zagrobelnatag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/photo-1692Quick Tip: 3 Types of Eye Contact in Photography<p><span class="sectionnum">In today's quick tip we'll be exploring
three types of eye contact to consider when taking a portrait, along
with different situations where each may be particularly appropriate.
Eye contact can make a huge difference to the impression given by your
image, and is worth considering—whether it's for a formal portrait, or
a candid snapshot!<br></span></p><h2><span class="sectionnum">1.</span>&nbsp;Direct Eye Contact</h2><p>With
the subject looking directly into the lens of the camera, you create a
connection between the person being photographed, and the person viewing
the photo. This relationship is defined by the expression held—it
could be seductive, angry, or even terrified.</p><p>For this reason, the technique is fantastic for putting the viewer into someone else's shoes. Take this image, for instance: it
makes the viewer wonder what the child is thinking. Is she afraid, or just tired and needing comfort? Whatever the case, the look and composition of this photo evokes the feeling of wanting to say "don't worry!"</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Image of a child being carried by someone The child looks worried Photo by Unsplash" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/924/posts/27797/image/worriedchild.jpg"><figcaption>Image of a child being carried by someone. The child looks worried. Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-on-gray-shirt-caring-african-child-with-gray-shirt-128899/" target="_self">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p>With
direct eye contact, it's obvious that the subject knew they were being
photographed and, as such, they are usually adopting some form of "pose"
(either natural or formal).</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Woman standing in the rain and looking directly at the camera Photo by Unsplash" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/924/posts/27797/image/directeyecontactgirl.jpg"><figcaption>Woman standing in the rain and looking directly at the camera. Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-brown-zip-up-jacket-and-black-shirt-218724/" target="_self">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Image of a close up of a man looking directly into the camera Photo by Unsplash" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/924/posts/27797/image/man%20looking.jpg"><figcaption>Image of a close up of a man looking directly into the camera. Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-white-and-black-striped-shirt-119705/" target="_self">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h2><figure class="post_image"><span class="sectionnum">2.</span>&nbsp;Eye Contact Between Subjects</figure></h2><p>Unlike
direct eye contact, having two different subjects looking at each other
is a way to depict the relationship between them. The viewer becomes an
observer, and is no longer "involved" in the photograph.</p><p>This is
commonly done to represent a loving relationship (see the two examples
below, or almost any wedding shoot), but it could equally be chosen to
represent hate, anger, or fear. If you're wanting to capture some form
of atmosphere in a scene, this can be a great way to do so.</p><p>This
visual connection needn't just be between two people. It could involve
anything, from a child having fun with their dog, to someone
thoughtfully arranging a bunch of flowers.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Black and white image of two people looking at each other Photo by freestocksorg" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/924/posts/27797/image/couple1.jpg"><figcaption>Black and white image of two people looking at each other. Photo by<a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-black-and-white-couple-facial-expression-227430/" target="_self"> freestocks.org</a></figcaption></figure><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Image of a couple looking at each other sitting on the beach Photo by Stokpic" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/924/posts/27797/image/sea-man-beach-holiday.jpg"><figcaption>Image of a couple looking at each other sitting on the beach. Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/sea-man-beach-holiday-6541/" target="_self">Stokpic</a></figcaption></figure><h2><span class="sectionnum">3.</span>&nbsp;No Eye Contact</h2><p>Finally,
we come to the idea of a sole person looking away from the camera—any
any other obvious subject. This very much puts the viewer in
"observation mode", and it can feel as though you're gaining a glimpse
into the thoughts and private moment of the person portrayed. Both of
the examples below take on a thoughtful, pensive atmosphere.</p><p>Because
the subject is looking "past" the camera, it introduces an element of
the unknown into the photo. There's no way to pinpoint exactly what has
captured the person's attention. This unresolved aspect—something mysterious—can create an alluring sort of tension in the photo that allows the viewer to project their own thoughts and assumptions onto the situation and person depicted.<br></p><p> The one exception would be in a
photograph&nbsp;<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhodesrunner/4374274906/">such as this one</a>, where you can see the full picture through a reflection in either the subject's eyes, or a pair of glasses.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Image of a girl in a field not looking at the camera Photo by Nguyen Nguyen" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/924/posts/27797/image/noeyecontact1.jpg"><figcaption>Image of a girl in a field, not looking at the camera. Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/asian-blur-book-child-238366/" target="_self">Nguyen Nguyen</a></figcaption></figure><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Black and white image of a man looking away from the camera Photo by Pixabay" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/924/posts/27797/image/notlooking.jpg"><figcaption>Black and white image of a man looking away from the camera. Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photo-of-man-wearing-button-up-shirt-157669/" target="_self">Pixabay</a></figcaption></figure><h2>How Do You Use Eye Contact?</h2><p>Do
you favour a particular type of eye contact in your photography? I'd
love to see any photographs you have that use this technique in a
particularly inventive way, so please feel free to share them below!</p><p>Looking for more great photographs of people? Check out the <a href="https://photodune.net/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;term=portrait&amp;referrer=homepage" target="_self">portraits on PhotoDune</a>!<br></p><br>2017-01-10T06:26:00.000Z2017-01-10T06:26:00.000ZDavid Appleyardtag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/cms-27981How to Ask a Stranger if You Can Take Their Picture<p>sorry to bother<br>you looked amazing just now<br>is a photo OK?<br></p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="Backstage at the girlie show at the Vermont state fair Rutland" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/392/posts/27981/image/how-to-photograph-strangers.jpg"><figcaption>"Backstage" at the "girlie" show at the Vermont state fair, Rutland. 1941 Sept. Jack Delano, photographer. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/2179048484/in/album-72157603671370361/" target="_self">Library of Congress</a>.<br></figcaption></figure>2017-01-05T17:32:34.802Z2017-01-05T17:32:34.802ZJackson Cousetag:photography.tutsplus.com,2005:PostPresenter/photo-860How to Take Photos of People Like a Professional<p>Have
you ever felt intimidated by the thought of taking photos of other
people? Believe it or not, once you're over your initial nerves, people
are one of the easiest subjects to photograph. Why is this? Well,
imagine that you're taking landscape photos. Most of us don't live in a
spectacular landscape, which means we have to drive somewhere to take
the photo. Once there, if the weather and light aren't good, there's not
much we can do.<br></p><p>Photographing people, however, gives you
complete control. All the elements of good photography are in your
hands. You're surrounded by potential subjects: friends, relatives, and
even strangers if you have the courage to ask. Every potential subject
is unique. If the light isn't great, you can do something about it, like
move to another location or use flash. You can ask your subject to wear
different clothes, or do something a little crazy—your only limit is
your imagination.</p><p>And this is the key to great people photography—imagination. Have fun, and if you don't know much about your camera
settings yet, just put your camera into an automatic mode (most cameras
have an automatic <strong>Portrait </strong>mode you can use) and concentrate on making
some beautiful photos. You can learn the technical details afterwards.</p><p>One
of the best ways to improve your photography is to learn from the
professionals. Here are some tips to get you thinking like a pro, and
into the correct mindset to take some amazing portraits.</p><h2><span class="sectionnum">1.</span> Build a Rapport With the Subject</h2><p>This
is the most important skill of all! Master this, and you're well on
your way to becoming an expert photographer. A good tip, especially if
you're starting off, is to photograph someone that you know, who likes
to play around for the camera. Your job as a photographer is to get them
to relax and have fun. If you can do this, good photos will follow.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="shoot with family" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/80/posts/27838/image/1rapport.jpg"><figcaption>Shoot with family and friends. The connection you have will help make your pictures great. <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/7fzINre0NQE" target="_self">Image via Unsplash</a>.</figcaption></figure><p>When you're looking for a model, girlfriends or boyfriends are a great place to start.</p><h2><span class="sectionnum">2.</span> Pick the Right Lens</h2><p>The
focal length of your lens is very important. You need to understand the
nature of your lenses and how to use them to your advantage. The good
news is that if you have a digital camera with a standard kit zoom
(typically around an 18-55mm focal length range), then you already have
an excellent tool for taking photos of people. Just set it to 55mm and
work from there. Instead of zooming in and out, use your feet and change
your position. You'll learn the characteristics of the focal length
that you're using.</p><p>If you want something even better, both Canon and Nikon make a cheap 50mm <i>f</i>/1.8 that is perfect for portraits; the wider aperture blurs the background more.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="wide portrait" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/80/posts/27838/image/2lens.jpg"><figcaption>Even wide-angle lenses can take great portraits. <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/ME97jMtESVo" target="_self">Image via Unsplash</a>.</figcaption></figure><p>Don't
ignore the wide-angle end of your kit lens either. Documentary
photographers and photojournalists like wide-angle lenses because they
can get in close to their subject. The photos are intimate, because the
photographer is so close. Wide-angle lenses are also a great way of
showing your subject in their environment. It’s just a different style
of portrait.</p><p>Beware of getting <em>too</em> close to your subject's face
with a wide-angle lens. It will distort their features, and you won't
receive any thanks!</p><h2><span class="sectionnum">3.</span> Play With Different Light</h2><p>The
best light for portraits may not be when you think. Overcast skies and
late afternoon sun are good. Direct sun is bad—it casts harsh shadows
on faces and makes people squint. Backlighting is very exciting,
although you have to watch out for flare, and you'll need a reflector or
flash to put light onto your subject's face. Window light is very
beautiful for taking photos indoors, though again you'll need a
reflector to put light back onto the shadowed side of your subject's
face.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="different light" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/80/posts/27838/image/3light.jpg"><figcaption>Try different light sources to find out what you like. <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/ShWYUOQ0raw" target="_self">Image via Unsplash</a>.</figcaption></figure><p>What's
a reflector? It's anything that reflects light back onto your subject
so that the shadows cast by the light aren't so strong. You can buy
purpose-made reflectors from manufacturers like Lastolite, or you can
make your own from a large piece of white card or a white sheet.
Photographers need reflectors because the available light is rarely
perfect. Reflectors enable you to take control of the light.</p><h2><span class="sectionnum">4.</span> Learn How to Use Your Camera's Settings</h2><p>To
take great pictures, you need to be in control of your camera. Don’t
just leave it in automatic mode. Learn how shutter speed, aperture, and
ISO will affect your images.&nbsp;</p><p>When you’re next shooting portraits,
try using aperture priority mode with the aperture set to the widest
value possible. It will give you a nice blurry background. If it’s a
sunny day, try ISO 100. If it’s cloudy, try ISO 400. Shutter speed will
take care of itself.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="learn camera" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/80/posts/27838/image/4settings.jpg"><figcaption>Learn to use your camera properly so you can take images like this. <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/PgSu429ID5o" target="_self">Image via Unsplash</a>.</figcaption></figure><p>You should always be shooting RAW images. They give you the most options in post production.</p><h2><span class="sectionnum">5.</span> Avoid the "Pose"</h2><p>You
can learn about posing from studying photography and fashion magazines.
But don't get too carried away with posing—you'll often get better
results by encouraging your subject to play around for the camera. Get
them to have some fun and be spontaneous. The resulting photos will be
full of life.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="posing" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/80/posts/27838/image/5pose.jpg"><figcaption>Even untraditional poses can work. <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/-wjk_SSqCE4" target="_self">Image via Unsplash</a>.</figcaption></figure><h2><span class="sectionnum">6.</span> Play With Movement</h2><p>Get
creative. Ask your subject to stand still while the people around are
moving. Put your camera on a tripod for the best result.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="different portaits" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/80/posts/27838/image/6movement.jpg"><figcaption>Don't just take the same photo over and over again. Play with movement, or different elements like windows. <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/pEBKUq_qZUk" target="_self">Image via Unsplash</a>.</figcaption></figure><h2><span class="sectionnum">7.</span> Get a Model Release Form</h2><p>If
you're planning to sell your photos, get a signed model release form. A
model release form is a simple statement that the model signs to give
you permission to sell their photo.&nbsp;</p><p>As a general guideline, a photo
published on a website or in a magazine doesn't need a model release
form as this is regarded as editorial use (as long as you're not
defaming the subject). If you're going to sell the photo to be used
in advertising or other promotional material, you need a model release
form.</p><figure class="post_image"><img alt="model release" src="https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/80/posts/27838/image/7relase.jpg"><figcaption>If you want to sell your images, you need a model release form. <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/3XARXIgsoqY" target="_self">Image via Unsplash</a>.</figcaption></figure><p>Check
the laws in your own country. Some countries, especially in Europe,
have strict privacy laws that govern how you can use the photos you have
taken. If in doubt, get a model release form. It's much better to have
one, and to sell your photos with the permission of your subjects, than
not to have one.</p><p>Alamy have a good model release form <a href="http://www.alamy.com/contributor/how-to-sell-images/model-property-releases-stock-images/">available here</a>.</p>2016-12-19T08:25:00.000Z2016-12-19T08:25:00.000ZAndrew Gibson